Fatti, idee, insoddisfazioni all'origine di questa newsletter


In ogni storia duratura (enduring) ad un certo punto viene svelato qualche retroscena. Siamo ormai al numero 24 ed è il momento di parlarvi dell'origine di questa newsletter.
 
Elencherò i principali antefatti:
 
1) Un inciso di Ortega y Gasset, dal Discorso sulla caccia:
"…Francesco Alcàntara, uno degli uomini più straordinari, di cui la Spagna, nell'ultimo secolo, a sua insaputa, ha goduto, mi riferiva…".
Da anni mi perseguita. Infatti, di questi uomini, io ne conosco più d'uno e mi piacerebbe che il mondo fosse un po' meno ignaro della loro esistenza, ma anche spererei che costoro, piuttosto accidiosi, si dessero una mossa.
 
2) Un'osservazione dell'amico Leonardo, durante una cena:
"Quando sono depresso leggo un articolo di A... sul Corriere e mi sento subito superintelligente."
Mi dette da pensare: a me succedeva la stessa cosa con M...: una dose di tre o quattro righe erano normalmente sufficienti, oltre sarebbe stato pericoloso.
Eppure gli A... e i M... scrivono, si pronunciano, guidano anime. Troppo comodo il rifugio in una sterile sprezzatura o nel consolatorio "non prevalebunt": la Provvidenza va aiutata!
 
3) La scelta di Savinio il quale così introduce la sua Nuova Enciclopedia:
"Sono così scontento delle enciclopedie, che mi sono fatto questa enciclopedia mia propria e per mio uso personale".

4) L'esempio di Mario Pachi e del suo autarchico Bollettino, di cui trovate qui un ricordo e una copia.
 
In principio si trattava di insoddisfazioni, di idee che mi frullavano in testa, poi, soprattutto grazie all'esempio di Pachi, ho deciso di fare qualcosa: così è nata questa Newsletter. E sembra proprio che stia raggiungendo il primo obbiettivo: quello di coinvolgere i miei amici in uno scambio di vedute, anche diverse, ma sempre libero e franco.
 

Mario Pachi


Di Mario Pachi, l'attore fiorentino morto prematuramente questa estate, tutti gli amici ricorderanno l'immancabile sorriso e l'eterna pendula Camel alla Lucky Luke (al quale riusciva ad assomigliare).
Mario era un grande appassionato di tutto ciò che riguarda la guerra: dai soldatini di piombo, alle divise, alla storia militare.
In rete partecipava a vari gruppi di discussione sull'argomento e diffondeva anche un bollettino. Voglio ricordarlo ripubblicandone un numero contenente un suo intervento molto bello.
Purtroppo è in inglese. Aspettiamo volenterosi traduttori.
 

From: mario pachi


Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2000 11:44 PM
Subject: 55° anniversario di Hiroshima
 
Per conoscenza, invio questo scambio d'opinioni ospitato dal Forum di "The World at War", sito dedicato alla seconda G.M.
L'argomento del contendere era la bomba atomica sul Giappone, nel cinquanticinquesimo anniversario del suo sgancio.
Data la non equilibrata impostazione dei primi messaggi, ho sentito la necessità di dire il mio parere, ottenendo poi un riscontro molto positivo.
Pachi
 

Date: 8/4/00 1:00:54 PM
Topic: RE: Anniversary
 
Category: A-Bomb
Well guys it is that time of year again when the Japanese trot out their Hiroshima survivors and claim to be the victimes of the horrid US. They will toll the peace bell and talk of how horrible the devistation was and and how people are still dieing from the bombs affects. There will be no one to remind us that 60 million Japanese were ready willing and able to commit national suicide 55 years ago this day, or that they the Japanese had started the aggression which had ended here in Hiroshima. No one to remind the world of Nanking, or Bataan or Christmass day in Hong Kong when the Japanese ran amouk raping and killing, they will instead talk of the horror of being the only nation to be atomic bombed. No survivors of the Bangkok/Bruma rail way or from Unit 197 the biological warfare center to talk of their experiances. No discussions of how many people were prepared to die killing US Soldiers trying to gain a foothold on the home islands, all the Kami Kazi prepared to die for their Emperor. No these facts will not only not be spoke of but totaly ignored.I am saddened and angered more each year as the true facts of the war are more and more forggoten or distorted by the Japanese and those members of the political Left who make political hay from US bashing. I do firmly believe that if not for the two atomic bombings I would not be here today writing this, My father was slated to go to the Pacific in 1945 even though he had the requisit number of points to go home, I am sure he would have died there in Japan.
Just a few loose thoughts to share with you all ..... thank you
Brian

Better to just swallow the ignominy that the victors suffer when they've brought total defeat to their enemies' houses, but not to their hearts! I myself had set aside $32 just to buy 50th-anniversary Atom bomb stamps from the post office in 1995, only to learn that various lobbyists forced the USPS to dump the whole idea. They were beautiful: Red with a big ol white mushroom cloud.
The bombings were the perfect irony—breathtaking in exquisiteness all the while reaping what the Japanese Leaders sowed.
G Stefanovics

To Brian,
My thoughts..... repeat yours and sign my name to them. Remember Pearl Harbor!!!!!
As Japanese who lived through the war are dying off - this, the generation who just wanted to forget the whole thing happened - I, too, am preparing for the revisionist.
China had better forget 'bout Taiwan, Vietnam & USA - keep your eyes on Tokyo.
WHITEY BULGER

Having been bombed by USAAF in 1944, when I was one year old, I’m another one who "would not be here today writing this", and being used to find beauty everywhere, perhaps in a cavalry charge, but not in a "big ol white mushroom cloud" originated by an A-bomb, I can’t share your loud enthusiasm.
Mario Pachi

Hiya Mario,
Well, you didn't bomb Pearl Harbor, massacre innocents in China, Bataan, Malaya, Indonesia, etc.
Or did you?
BOMBS AWAY,
Whitey
 
P.S. Our parents were WRONG, sometimes it does take 2 "wrongs" to make 1 "right".

Whitey,
As one who has read and appreciated the insightful posts of Mario Pachi on TOW I take exception to your remarks to him. As one who flew in B-29's in World War Two I find your trivializing of August sixth despicable. You sound like a twerp (to use a rather old fashion term). Let me amend that: you sound like an East Coast twerp.
 
"I can't share your loud enthusiasm." {Greek: enthousiasmos :
1. orig. supernatural inspiration or possession, inspired prophetic or poetic ecstasy
2. [Archaic] religious fanaticism
3. intense or eager interest, zeal; fervor
4. something arousing such interest or zeal
 
SYN passion
Remember, boys, the gods can be cruel.
Harold

Dear Harold,
Nothing exceeds like excess.
From my beer-stained keyboard,
Whitey

Dear Harold,
I thank you for your kindest words in your answer to Whitey. You have wisely remembered him that the gods of History are very inconstant in awarding victory and defeat to the nations.
What really impelled me to answer has been the tone of persistent hate for an enemy of half a century ago.
I'm fondly interested in history of warfare.
As Phroudon said: "War is the mother of everything: religions, nations, culture, science, laws, and the rights of individual too. But - Phroudon goes on - supposing that war was banned by our life, I refuse to imagine an human kind in her perpetual siesta..."
I'm persuaded, as the old French anarchist implies, that war is a great teacher of compassion, solidarity and brotherhood.Is one of the great contradictions of our nature. We need to see our life and the life of our loved ones in danger to really understand who we are and what really life is and what love means.
I'm tempted to think that, without the experience of war, humanity would be worst than what actually is. But we can learn only if we fight without hate, and in the last European wars the lack of hate has been a distinguishing mark of the American soldier, a mark wich has made him remember with lasting respect and friendship.
And let me say that Italian soldier too very rarely has been polluted by that poison.
This is the reason why I've felt shocked and embittered reading the messages of Brian and the other Forum friends.
Months ago, a friend of mine has told me an episode of his wartime experience.
He had been enlisted in Mussolini's army in 1944, and aggregated with other Italians to the first German parachute division on the Gothic Line. One day, patrolling a mountain, they found a little church with its doors opened. Leaving one of them outside with the weapons, they entered, hoping to speak with the priest. He came, and this little group of desperate boys (18-19 years old), kneeling to him, asked: "This war never ends, father. We are tired and frightened. We don't know if our families are still alive or not. What can we do?" The priest remained silent for a minute, then answered: "Dear sons, you can't do anything. You can't desert, 'cause if they catch you, you finish in the front of a firing squad, and if they don't catch you, they take your parents and close them in a concetration camp... You have to stay until the very end... The only thing that you can do is to make your best to mitigate the horrors of war..." Telling his story, my friend had his eyes full of tears, and writing it I can't help to feel a deep emotion.
I'm sure that you can understand me, dear Harold, and understand what I mean. We can't loose our soul, also in the terrible inhumanity of war. Otherways we don't deserve to be called men.
Finally, I have to add that the companion of my life is Japanese.
Sincerly yours,
Mario Pachi

Dear Mario,
You have once again proven what I already knew, namely, that you are an extremely intelligent, sensitive, kind, considerate and sharing person.
No humane person can remain untouched by your posting.
Harold is so right - there is no reason whatsoever for you to be subjected to insults. Then again, those who never experienced Europe in 1938-45 know not of what they are talking.
My very best regards,
Marilène

If I could perhaps add a few words...
I've never thought it more horrible for people to die in a nuclear blast than to be gassed, shot, torn by shrapnel, or die by any of the other myriad ways we've invented. But the dropping of the bombs on Japan is worth marking for another reason. They signal the dawn of the era in which we finally achieved the ability to cause our own extinction. That is worth pausing and reflecting on once a year, I think.
As to old enmities and old enemies:At some point, it has to be laid to rest, After all, I meet few Americans that are still p.o.ed about our burning the White House. That said, I think events must leave living memory before the deeply felt emotions connected with them can be discarded.
Regards,
Murray Graham

Mario,
Yours is perhaps the most eloquent posting ever made on this forum.
Thank You.
I can't hope to match it but I thought the following quotes might interest the rest of the forum.
 
"If we fight a war and win it with H-bombs, what history will remember is not the ideals we were fighting for but the methods we used to accomplish them. These methods will be compared to the warfare of Genghis Khan who ruthlessly killed every last inhabitant of Persia."
-Hans Bethe
 
"I do no know with what weapons World War III will be fought but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
 
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
 
"We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount."
- Omar N. Bradley
 
Best Regards,
Rich Doody

Brian,
Yes once again the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be remembered and "SOME" Japanese will use the occassion to warn the world of the potential horrors involved in any further use of nuclear weapons. There will be plenty of Americans questioning their moral authority to do so and declare "THE" Japanese as hypocritical amnesiacs. They will be quite vocal in remembering the atrocities committed by the Japanese as you have.
Yes I am glad we got the bomb first. Its true the Japanese were guilty of committing unspeakable atrocities and I believe that the bombings can be morally justified on the grounds that they killed fewer human beings than would have been killed in an invasion of Japan.
The Japanese have no moral authority but they do have a moral obligation to show the rest of the world the effects of nuclear weapons in the hope that anyone foolish enough believe that we can still exercise the nuclear option might give it a second thought. Aside from a few Marshall Islanders and unrecognized American Atomic warriors the Japanese have the only numbers of victims who can show these fools what beta burns, genetic deformities and various rare cancers associated with the after affects look like.
Rich Doody

I cannot help feeling sorry for the unfortunates afflicted by the kind of venom which opened this thread, and I am glad to see that such sick sentiments are in the minority of the forum subscribers to it.
It is an effect prevalent during a war, when the enemy have been so de-humanized by the propaganda machine, so as to evoke no domestic protest when killing the enemy wholesale, becomes an everyday affair.
Atomizing two Japanese cities was a bit much when it came to justification. The lame excuse since has been that the JAPANESE loss of life was far less than the AMERICAN losses would have been, had an invasion of the Japanese Islands been the necessity which the bombing managed to avoid.
The embarrassing fact is that the Japanese heirarchy had given up all hope since the end of European hostilities and were fishing for the best surrender terms.
War's end as envisioned by the super powerful elite, who have always called the shots, had a completely prostrate Japan on it's agenda as well as an impressive demonstration of the kind of power they had at their disposal.
Bill Steers